After each having a week off, the Monterey Trail Mustangs and the Inderkum Tigers will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m. on the 14th. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Monterey Trail barely beat Elk Grove the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Mustangs' defense stepped up to hand the Thundering Herd a 20-0 shutout on Friday. The victory continues a trend for the Mustangs in their matchups with the Thundering Herd: they've now won four in a row.
Monterey Trail's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Odie Jefferson, who rushed for 108 yards and one touchdown. Kaden Love was another key player, rushing for 55 yards and one score.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Monterey Trail was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 242 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 183 rushing yards in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, a well-balanced attack led Inderkum over Ponderosa in every quarter on their way to victory on Friday. The Tigers blew past the Bruins 37-13. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Tigers' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 55th, while the Bruins are ranked 208th).
Monterey Trail better keep an eye on Brody Cole. He was instrumental in Inderkum's win, throwing for 237 yards and a pair of TDs, while also punching in one touchdown on the ground.
Inderkum didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Raymond Conrad, Robert Minor, and Ceyean Brown, who each picked up one interception apiece. Xavier Branch was another major factor on D, picking up 0.5 sacks, forcing one fumble, and making nine total tackles (3.0 for loss).
Monterey Trail's record is now 8-2. As for Inderkum, their record now sits at 9-1.
Monterey Trail didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against Inderkum in their previous matchup back in August, but they still walked away with a 27-22 victory. Do the Mustangs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Tigers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
